Turning Him
by RobicheauxRocks101
Summary: Percy is Sadistic. Percy is Evil. Percy is a Bad Man. But things change, and so can he with the aid of an unexpected little helper. Mpreg! Percy/Wild Billy
1. Chapter 1

Percy made a mistake. That's how it happened. Just a silly little mistake that never should've amounted to anything.

The evening after John Coffey's execution, Paul left him on his own on the mile while he'd gone to check up on C Block's night crew.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened that night. In fact, Percy was quite bored for some time, but everything changed when he took one fatal step in the wrong direction.

Two muscular arms shot out from the cell he'd been walking past, and a hand quickly slapped itself over his mouth so he couldn't scream, though it didn't stop him from trying.

"Mmmmmpppphh! Mmmmpphh!" He tried to shout, even though it was all painfully in vain.

"Shh shhhh shhh." Came a whisper. Moist, warm air greeted the soft skin of the side of his face as the perpetrator shushed him.

"You just be quiet now." His attacker told him. "We 'gon have a whole mess 'a fun."

Percy struggled as he felt his weapon belt being undone from around his waist. Nothing could be done to stop Wild Bill, though. He was just to strong.

"You gon' like this, lover boy." The crazy kid had chuckled sadistically before he took advantage of the other boy's restrained state and did the one thing Percy had been praying he wouldn't.

Tears streamed down the young guard's face as he was forced to submit to his unwanted lover.

Wild Bill made sure that he got his efforts worth before finally letting Percy go.

Percy returned to the office and sunk down into a corner to cry.

Wild Bill had been careful not to hurt him, for reasons unknown, but he'd sure done some emotional damage.

Paul found Percy an hour later and had Brutal throw Wharton into the restraint room for his disgraceful actions before driving Percy to the hospital, where his parents and Aunt had picked him up, all emotional wrecks over the situation.

None were worse than Percy himself, though.

Paul felt terrible but how could he have known Wild Bill would really rape the kid? Everyone had assumed his antics that day Percy pissed himself had all been a joke.

"I ain't done nothin' that boy didn't love!" Wild Billy protested, thrashing violently as Brutal threw him into the restraint room, kicking and screaming the whole way.

Even Brutal was disgusted with Wild Bill's actions towards Percy, and he hated Percy more than anyone.

No one was more upset than Percy himself though. And neither he nor anyone else could've guessed the consequences that one unlucky night would have.

...

"Aunt Rose?" Percy asked his Aunt before he headed off for work one morning, three months after the incident.

"Yes, honey pie?" The dark haired woman replied, flipping a pan of hash browns on the stove.

"I uh...I don't feel so good." Percy admitted, holding his belly with one hand. "Do we got any of that tonic you give Sophie for her carsick problem?"

Rose sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Honey, why don't ya just stay home? Huh? I don't like ya workin' when ya ain't feelin' good." She told him.

"I need the hours on my paycheck." Percy reminded her, rubbing his stomach while he used his other hand to gather his belt and hat.

"Well here then." Rose sighed, getting a brown glass bottle down from the cabinet above her and pouring a glass for Percy.

"Drink it all." She told him. "Or it ain't gonna help."

Percy wrinkled his nose at the fouls tasting stuff, but he was able to gulp it down anyway.

It didn't exactly solve the problem though. He was feeling worse once he'd actually reached Cold Mountain, and by eight that morning he was vomiting in the water closet.

"Percy?" Paul asked, voice concerned as he knocked on the door.

"In a minute!" Percy growled back, tears streaming his face as he leaned over the toilet, a trail of vomit dripping from his mouth.

Paul sighed and waited, eyes going to the prisoners who had all been pretty quiet that morning.

There was however, still one exception.

"S'wrong with mah lover boy?" Wild Bill asked, coming to the bars and lounging up against him.

"Shut up and sit back down, Wharton." Paul warned him. "You know you ain't allowed to speak with him anymore."

Wild Bill shrugged and backed away from the bars. Sometimes he'd argue the subject, but he must have been feeling pretty obedient that day.

Paul's attention was caught when the waster closet opened and Percy stepped out, wiping his mouth with a hankie.

"Percy?" Paul asked. "Would you like to clock out a little early? Maybe see a doctor?"

"No." Percy stated.

"Are you sure?" Paul asked again. "There might be something that..."

"I said no." Percy growled, slamming the water closet door and stomping off towards the office, passing Wild Bill without a look.

"Ya know, My big brother got a gal sick like him one time." Wharton commented once Percy was gone.

"Whatchu talkin' bout, Kid?" Peter Coppins, a new prisoner, asked with curiosity.

"Mornin' sickness is what it is." Billy said then. "Hey stiff! I think you should be 'a congratulatin' me. I done put a seed in that boys belly!"

Paul glared back at Wharton. Of all the crazy ideas.

Little did he know, it wasn't so crazy after all.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Percy didn't come back the next night or for a whole week after that day Paul caught him losing his lunch in the water closet.

"Think he's sick or just felt like skippin a few days?" Dean asked as he and Brutal sat at the desk up front, sharing a sandwich and some cheese and crackers. Dean's middle was now large with their third child. He was expected to give birth within the next few weeks so Paul often stuck him at the desk doing paper work instead of anything dangerous or work that required lifting anything. Brutal was just keeping his husband company now since he was off for lunch.

"I talked to Hal." Paul sighed, stealing a cracker and a piece of cheese for himself. "He said he's takin a few days off. Medical reasons. Didn't know nothin' else on the matter."

"I can name another one of us that needs to take a medical leave." Brutal grumbled.

"Let's not start again." Dean warned him, rubbing his belly as he picked up a DOE file on one of the newer inmates to examine closer. "I told you we need the money. I'll go on leave after the baby comes."

Brutal crossed his arms over his chest and sighed deeply. Paul chuckled at him.

"Hey!" A dreaded voice came from down the mile. "I'm fuckin hungry!"

"Pipe down. Lunch is in an hour." Harry shook his head as he walked past Wild Bill's cell.

The boy frowned and leaned against the bars of his cell, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You stiffs make me wanna put a hollow point through my damn skull. Where's Purdy? He still baby sick? Tell him to buck up. My Mama had to raise four brats and run a farm while she was baby sick with me."

"Shut up or you won't get lunch!" Paul snapped at Wild Bill.

The maniac kid grinned and stepped away from the bars, going to lay back down for awhile. He'd gotten a rise out of Paul. That's all he'd wanted.

Dean raised an eyebrow and looked up at Paul. "You think it might be true?" He asked.

"What?" Paul asked.

"You know...about Percy being..." Dean started to say before Brutal shook his head to stop the question.

"Whatever the cause of this we'll just keep to our own business and send a few prayers up for the boy." Paul answered, getting up to go to his office.

Another week came and went. Dean gave birth to a healthy baby girl late in the night on November 5th. He and Brutal named her Juliana Elizabeth Stanton-Howell. Peter Coppins walked the Green Mile a few days after that, with Harry leading the execution, and Percy finally returned after what had seemed like an eternity.

"Welcome back, son." Paul greeted him when he arrived that night for his shift. "Feelin' any better?"

Percy nodded, wiping at his eye as if he were drying a tear. "Yeah..." he replied softly.

Paul gave his shoulder a friendly pat as he passed him by. He didn't push Percy any further. He was shocked in fact that the boy had even decided to return at all. Being around the man who'd raped him every day wasn't exactly a desirable situation.

Brutal came up from the tunnel after he'd taken care of the late Peter Coppins.

"How's my God daughter doin?" Paul smiled at his best friend, making Brutal grin with pride.

"She's perfect. Just like her Mama." Brutal smiled.

"Bobby and Ellie been helpin' out a lot?" Paul asked him then.

"Oh yeah. They're both just as excited as can be about their new baby sister." Brutal replied, his smile growing. He loved to talk about his family. They were his everything.

"Remind me to give you the gift Melinda and I got for the little one." Hal Moores said with a friendly smile as he came from the execution room. "It's up in my office and I keep forgettin' to come down here and hand it off."

"Aw that's alright, Hal. You didn't have to do that." Brutal told the warden.

"Oh yes we did." Hal replied. "In fact, let me run up there and grab it real quick." He turned to head out towards the prison yard to get to his office, grabbing his keys from his coat pocket. "Paul come along with me now." He then called to the head guard. "We've got some things to talk about."

Paul looked from Hal then to Brutal and back again before giving a nod to Brute and following the warden.

"I didn't wanna say anything around Percy." Hal sighed once they'd left the mile. "For fear of upsettin' the poor boy. I think we can both agree that he's been through enough."

"That we can." Paul agreed.

"Well, things have gone downhill even worse than we could've thought, Paul." Hal told his friend as they made the walk up to his office. "You know the boy's been ailing lately?"

"Yes, Hal." Paul confirmed with a nod.

"Well, I don't know exactly how to tell ya this but I got a note from his doctor this morning. It's morning sickness, Paul. The boy's pregnant. With that asshole Wharton's child." Hal said, running a hand over his tired face before unlocking his office door.

"Terrible thing..." Paul sighed.

"Yeah, well, tell only who you must. I don't want gossip getting out. The governor and his wife would have both our heads on a plaque, and that poor child doesn't need any more trouble than he's already got." Hal stressed to Paul.

"What happens on the mile stays on the mile, Hal." Paul replied, his tone just as serious as ever. "You know that."

Hal nodded and grabbed the gift for Dean and Brutal's baby off his desk before he and Paul walked back to the mile.

For the next few weeks Paul had Percy working over in admin, pulling files and organizing the witnesses for the next two executions that were coming up. It was easier for him to be there than around the cell block where his unborn child's father still resided.

Dean came back to work after another month went by. His mother and Brutal's were taking turns watching their grandchildren so both Dean and Brutus could work.

Paul was relieved to see Dean again, for he believed Percy would benefit from having any advice the other young mother had to offer him.

Percy had grown increasingly upset over everything that was happening to and or around him. As if it weren't enough that he was having his rapist's baby now, he was also getting too big to fit into his uniform. Paul had to send him to laundry to get a bigger one and the poor boy had left crying.

Dean tried to help in any way shape or form that he knew how, but nothing seemed to be helping. He would talk but Percy never seemed to listen. He was a mess and everyone knew it. Even his family.

"Honey...?" His Aunt approached him one night after he'd thrown a fit at dinner. "Percy, Sweetheart, please open the door."

"Go away..." Percy whimpered, trying to hold in the river of tears threatening to escape his eyes. He hadn't stopped crying for days. He was downright miserable. Even more so than usual.

"Percy..." His Aunt sighed, grabbing the key from above the doorframe and unlocking the door herself.

"I'm fine!" Percy growled at her.

"Percy...I know you're hurting..." Rose tried to console her nephew.

"Just leave me alone!" He growled again, pushing past her and hurrying downstairs out to his car.

It seemed like no matter what anyone did to try and help him, Percy just refused to accept their charity. He refused to accept their pity. Why? Only he knew, and he sure as hell wasn't telling anyone.

"I think maybe we should transfer Wharton outta here." Brutal suggested. "Maybe that'd get his mind off of things."

"He ain't ever gonna be able to get his mind off of this, Brute." Harry sighed. "For the rest of his life he'll have to remember it. There's no escape."

"Now hold on just a minute..." Dean piped up. "I don't care what anybody says, every child that's ever been is always a blessing. No matter what the situation may be."

"That's very true Dean, but be that as it may I doubt Percy has it in him to parent a child that's a product of rape." Paul argued, gnawing at his lip in thought. They all wanted to help the poor kid. They just didn't know how.

"He'll come around." Dean said. "Once he sees the baby's face everything'll change. I'd bet anything on it."


	3. Chapter 3

Percy couldn't sleep anymore. Every time he closed his eyes he'd see things that made him shudder.

His latest recurring nightmare was of a child. One that had the same evil face of William Wharton. That same chaotic thirst and the wild look in his eye. He'd wake up in a cold sweat at night, so fearful that these dreams were telling what was really to come to him.

"Percy, honey, please eat." His Aunt begged him at breakfast after he'd been up for most of the night. "You're making yourself sick carryin' on like this."

His younger cousin, Sophie, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Mama leave him be..." She spoke up to her mother.

"Sophie Layne, I'm only trying to help." Rose asserted herself.

"Don't fight over me." Percy told them. "I ain't worth the trouble." He stood from his seat and walked back upstairs to his room.

Sophie came up moments later to check on him.

"I don't want company." He sniffled from the other side of the door.

"Yes you do." Sophie replied. "Come on, now. Open up. We need to talk."

Percy reluctantly let her in, though he knew their little 'talk' more than likely would end with someone, most likely him, in tears.

"What're you gonna do?" Sophie asked, voice gentle and soft. She was trying to be kind and reassuring with him.

Percy gnawed at his lip.

"You know there's a real nice couple I work with down at the nursin' home." Sophie told him. "You remember the Jensen's right? My bosses? They run the place. Good people...They aren't able to have children of their own."

Percy didn't say a word.

Sophie sighed. "I thought that maybe..." She started to say.

"No." Percy answered.

Sophie's eyes met his. She just didn't understand. One moment he was dreading this, wishing it all away and praying to God that he would never have to raise the child of William Wharton, then the next he was conflicted and attached to the child.

"Do you want to keep it?" Sophie asked him. "It's okay if you do, Percy...Nobody would think any less of you. They'd probably hold you in higher regards to be honest."

"I just..." Percy muttered. "I don't..."

Sophie hugged him, kissing his cheek before he started to cry.

"That's alright, honey." She assured him. "You've got time to think."

...

"Whatchu want, slick?" Billy Wharton asked from where he was laying back in bed behind the bars of his cell.

"Stand up. Now. I've got somethin' you're gonna wanna hear." Paul told the kid, catching his curious streak. Billy hopped up immediately and came to lean against the bars.

"Got a secret, huh?" He giggled. "What is it?"

"I got a call from the Warden's office. Now he's wantin' me to give ya a piece of news. I just wanna make sure you understand first that the only reason I'm granting you the privilege of knowing this at all is so you can make any last adjustments to your will." Paul explained.

"The hell does that have to do with anything?" Wharton scoffed.

"You've also gotta promise me that you're gonna be good. For the rest of the night. I mean it too or I won't spill a word." Paul growled at the younger man.

Billy grinned wickedly. "This must be some piece of news, huh?" He laughed.

"You gonna promise me?" Paul asked, voice serious and stern.

Billy grinned at him with his chew worn teeth. "Honest Injun." He swore, placing his hand over his heart.

"Good." Paul nodded. "Now, I thought you'd like to know that you're gonna be a father."

Billy's eyes went wide for a second before he turned his gaze from Paul to look across the Mile at the other prisoners. "Hey Parker!" He shouted to the big man in the cell straight across from his.

"This better be good, kid." The inmate growled.

"Is for me! You owe me your lunch tomorrow!" Billy laughed, smacking his knee before doing a little jig across his cell. "YeeHaw! Somebody light up a cigar and get me a good shot of shine! We gonna have a party now!"

Paul whacked the bars of the cell with his baton, stopping Wild Bill's antics in their tracks.

"You made a promise, Wharton." Paul growled to him. "You break it and I'll see to it that you spend the rest of your life down there in that padded room you seem to love so much."

Billy threw him a wink before grinning widely and Paul began to walk back to his desk.

"Hey, Stiff?" Billy called out to him. "Come on back here a minute."

Paul stopped but hesitated, unsure of Wild Bill's intentions. He did go back, however. He didn't know what it was that made him but it was something.

"What is it?" He asked Wild Bill when he got back down to his cell.

"Got a favor to ask ya." Billy replied. His tone had changed. He seemed different. More serious than he had ever been before at least.

"Do you honestly feel like you're in any kind of position to be askin' any favors from me?" Paul asked him.

"Ain't for me, you clunk." Wild Bill replied. "For somebody else."

...

"Percy, honey, are you sure you wanna do this?" His mother asked him as they sat in the conference room of the Governor's lawyer. His Aunt was there with him as well.

"No." Percy whimpered in fear, suddenly having seconds thoughts about the meeting they'd arranged with Mrs. Wharton, the mother and legal guardian of Wild Bill.

"You've got nothin' to be afraid of, son." Mr. Chambers, the Governor's long time attorney, assured Percy. "I've met Mrs. Wharton several times in the past few years. Her son may be a devil but she's a very sweet woman."

Percy looked from his mother to his aunt and back again.

"We'll be right here the whole time." Rose assured her nephew, giving his left hand a little squeeze.

There was a knock on the door then, sending a chill down Percy's spine.

"I'll get it." Mr. Chambers said before crossing the room to open the door for their guests. A short, stalky lawyer with slicked back hair and a black bow tie came in, leading a thin, tired looking auburn haired woman.

The woman's eyes found Percy's immediately and her own began to drip with tears.

"Percy..." Mr. Chambers started to say. "This is Mrs. Wharton...Elmira, this is Percy Wetmore, June Wetmore, and Rosalee Long."

The woman let go of her lawyer's arm and crossed the room slowly toward them.

Percy was terrified when she reached for his hand, and he yanked it away at first.

"Oh honey..." She whispered, voice shaking like she had just seen a ghost. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

Percy's eyes were wide and uncertain, but he allowed the woman to grip his hand in her own ice cold, calloused ones.

"My name's Elmira." She introduced herself, ignoring the former introduction given by the governor's lawyer. "You can call me Mira..."

Percy staid silent, not even wanting to meet this woman's eyes. He'd come to take possession of whatever property was being given to his child. That was all he ever wanted to do with the Wharton family ever again. They could all burn in hell for all he cared.

Elmira seemed to sense his feelings. Of course they weren't hard to pick up on what with all of the trembling he was doing.

"I'm..." She started to say, biting her lip then and wiping her eyes with a worn out hankie before taking hold of Percy's hand again. "I'm so sorry..." She managed to get out then. "What Billy did was awful. He's a terrible child. I don't know how he come to be this way. His Pa weren't like that at all, and I've always been a woman of the Lord. I tried to raise him right but..."

"Let's not discuss this matter now." Rose interrupted her.

"Rosalee..." Mr. Chambers tried to intervene.

"I won't have her upsetting him!" Rose snapped at the man angrily, before June took her arm to calm her.

Elmira looked to the ground, heartbroken, letting go of Percy's hand.

Percy turned to his aunt and mother. "Can you go outside?" He asked them. "In the hallway? Just stay close?"

Rose looked appalled, but June nodded, taking her sister in law with her as she walked out into the hallway to wait. Percy was a big boy now. He could handle his own affairs. Maybe.

"Won't you sit down, mam?" Elmira's lawyer offered her, pulling out a chair at the table.

She nodded and allowed him to help her sit.

Percy took a seat at the other end, looking anywhere and everywhere but at her.

"I believe there's the matter of Mr. Wharton's final requests?" Mr. Chambers spoke, trying to keep the ball rolling.

"Oh...yes..." Mrs. Wharton nodded slowly, wiping at her teary eyes again before she pulled a letter from her dress pocket.

Percy finally looked toward her, getting his first full view of the woman who had spawned the evil that was Wild Billy Wharton. She looked just like him. There was only one difference. The evil in Bill's eyes was no where to be found in his mother's. Only a sea of remorse and regret flowing out of them in the form of tear drops.

"I got to speak with him on visit day, Sunday. After church..." She trembled as she put on her reading glasses to read from the notes she'd made for herself. She unfolded the piece of paper then, hands still unsteady.

"Want me to help ya, mam?" Her lawyer asked. She nodded and handed it off to him, hiding her eyes with one hand so nobody would see her cry.

"Hunting hounds, Rifles, Traps, and Old Red all go to him." The short lawyer read, face twisting up with confusion afterwards. "Who's him, mam?"

Mrs. Wharton couldn't keep her tears back anymore. She started to bawl like a baby. "His...His son..." She finally managed.

Percy's eyes went straight to his belly, and he placed a hand on the bump, rubbing it a little.

"So the child is getting all of his father's possessions then? Is that it?" Mr. Chambers asked. "We'll need that in the form of a will. From Mr. Wharton."

Mrs. Wharton nodded as she sobbed.

Percy wanted to run away.

"Please..." Mrs. Wharton sniffled, wiping her eyes before she reached for Percy's hand again. "Honey please...I know William hurt you. I know he's a bad man. I know I got no right to ask you but please...let me be part of my little grand baby's life."

...

"That woman had no right to put that kind of pressure on him!" Rose ranted from downstairs.

"You hush your mouth Rose! You don't know what that poor woman's been through!" June fought back.

"He's your son!" Rose shouted. "And you're defending the mother of his rapist!?"

Percy squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to cry but failing.

Surely this was all just a nightmare, right? Surely it would all be gone when he opened his eyes again.

"Ohh..." he muttered, flinching when he felt a flutter against his rib cage.

A kick.

"What do you want?" He whispered to his baby bump and the unborn child inside. "Ain't you cause enough trouble already?"

Another kick.

Percy sighed and placed a hand against his belly, rubbing the assaulted spot gently.

"Go to sleep." He spoke to his child. "We'll figure stuff out later."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"You get to talk to him then?" Wild Bill asked his mother. They were allowing him another visit only because of the whole situation and its needing to be sorted out quickly.

Mrs. Wharton nodded. "I did." She confirmed.

"Purdy ain't he?" Billy hummed, the corner of his mouth flinching upward in a dirty grin.

"You had absolutely no right to do what you did to that poor boy, Billy." Elmira glared daggers at her son.

"Aw now Mama, come on. I didn't do nary a thing that boy didn't love." Wild Bill defended himself.

Elmira Wharton frowned and she stopped typing up the will she'd been working on for her son. He didn't want to do it himself. Said she was better with words than him.

"Where did I ever go wrong with you?" She sighed, running a hand over her face. "I just don't understand..."

"Keep typin'." Billy urged her. "Gotta get this thing laid out right or else Bobby Lucas is gonna be over buggin' ya all the time to take Ol' Red like a damn buzzard!"

"Calm down, son...I wouldn't give that horse to anyone but family." Elmira assured him. "You know that."

"Don't give him to nobody." Billy told her. "He's stayin' with you so little man can learn to ride him."

Mrs. Wharton bit her lip. "Son, I don't know that I'm going to be gettin' to see little man very much. Maybe not even at all." She admitted.

"Hey now don't say that." Billy frowned. "I thought ya got to talk to his mama?"

"William Henry Wharton, this child was not under any circumstance conceived in love!" Elmira erupted, no longer to hold her emotions back.

Wild Bill's eyes widened. He was shocked that his mother was raising her voice. Especially to him.

"Now how do you know that?" He asked his mother.

Mrs. Wharton could have smacked him, but she didn't. Whatever he was, or whatever controlled him to make him do such ghastly things, he was still her baby. She couldn't hit him. Never could.

"How do I know that?" She asked, as calmly as she could. "How do I KNOW that? Billy! You raped that poor boy! Do you really think he's going to let ME see his child!?"

Billy Wharton was, for once in his life, at a loss for words.

Elmira gnawed at her lip as she went back to typing.

"It was love for me." Billy finally grumbled to her.

She turned her head up, staring at her son with sad, pain filled eyes.

"You've never loved nobody you're whole life." She whispered, her own heart breaking as the words rolled off her lips. "When you love someone the last thing you ever want to do is hurt them."

"I love you, Mama..." Billy told her.

"Don't lie to me." Elmira stopped him. "If you loved me at all you wouldn't do the things you do."

Wild Bill frowned at her. "That boy. He's just like me." He said with a chuckle. "I'll tell ya somethin' Mama. I woulda married that boy had I ever got the chance."

Elmira looked back down to her type writer. "What do you wanna do with your part of the livestock?" She asked, a tear dripping down her face.

"Give everything I got to my son." Billy answered, lounging back in his chair as best he could with the handcuffs on him.

Brutal came up to the table and grabbed Wild Bill by the arm. "Sorry mam." He apologized to Elmira. "Times up."

Mrs. Wharton looked at her son then to the guard and back to Billy once more.

"Behave." She told him, standing to approach him. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before Brutal took him back to his cell.

She then sat back down and hid her face as the river of tears flooded over again.

"Mam?" Paul asked softly, placing a reassuring hand on Mrs. Wharton's shoulder.

"He's going to hell, isn't he?" The woman sobbed.

Paul sighed and knelt down beside her.

"It's not you're fault." He assured her. "You understand that right? You gave it everything you had but nothing took. He was just born to be this way. Some folks are. No matter how good their folks teach them."

Outside the door, Percy stood, listening, watching.

He felt the baby kick and he sighed. He hated Wild Bill Wharton with every fiber of his being. He wanted him to burn in hell. But the poor woman who had raised him didn't need to suffer any more than she already was. It wasn't her fault. It really wasn't at all.

Percy knew what he had to do.

...

Elmira Wharton had just sat down with her cup of tea in the front room of her little farm house to listen to the radio.

Then came a gentle knocking at the front door.

"Coming!" She called as she stood up to get the door.

She was shocked to see Percy's face when she opened it.

"Mam?" Percy started to ask.

Mrs. Wharton gnawed at her lip in silence. What could she say?

"I was hoping that we..." Percy started before trailing off. He shouldn't have come. What possessed him to, he'll never know.

"Why don't you come in?" Elmira offered. "I've got some nice hot tea ready."

Percy nodded and stepped inside slowly.

Elmira brought him a cup of tea and sat him down on the couch across from her arm chair.

"I'm sorry to barge in so late." Percy apologized.

"No. You ain't troublin' me none, honey." The tired looking woman replied, voice soft and gentle. If it wouldn't have been for the obvious physical resemblance, Percy would never have guessed she could be Wild Bill's mother.

"I wanted to talk to you." Percy said, taking a sip of his tea. "About...well...you know."

Elmira's eyes went to Percy's rounded belly.

"How far along are you now?" She asked, her voice becoming much more timid. She didn't want to upset him.

Percy looked down to his bump. "Seven months." He told her, looking back up to meet her eyes.

"And you...you're gonna keep him?" She asked then.

Percy was silent for a moment but he slowly began to nod after giving the matter another moment's thought.

There was pleading in Mrs. Wharton's dark brown eyes. Percy wasn't that much of a fool. He could see it plainly.

"How'd you find me?" She asked him, suddenly quite curious. Had he really gone to the trouble of tracking her down.

"My Uncle's lawyer gave me your address." Percy replied.

Elmira nodded. "So...Have you thought about it? What I asked you before?"

Percy nodded.

Mrs. Wharton took in a shaky breath. "William has hurt the both of us." She said, trying to hold back the tears threatening to escape her eyes once more. "Maybe we can help each other to heal?"

"Maybe." Percy nodded, placing a hand against his belly when he felt the baby kick.

Every child should know their grandmother. This, Percy couldn't deny.

Elmira was a good woman as well, and she'd been dealt hell, having to deal with her devil of son for nineteen long years. Maybe having a little grandchild, one that was good, to fuss over would help mend her broken heart.

As for Percy's fears that his child would grow into another Wild Bill, they were put to rest. Wild Bill Wharton had two very loving and wonderful parents, yet somehow he turned into the monster that he was.

So if a child so evil could come of two people so pure, it gave Percy enough hope to think that someone good could come of a wicked father.

...

Percy turned his head when Dean came into Paul's office, a smile on his face as he held a large box in his arms.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"Commere." Dean told him. "Got somethin' for ya."

Percy laid the files he was organizing down on the desk and approached Dean, peering down into the box as the other young man opened it up.

Inside were a bunch of little baby outfits of all colors and styles.

He looked up at Dean, not sure what to say.

"Wish I knew if it was a girl or a boy, but I guess it don't matter. There's plenty of stuff in here for either." Dean explained.

"Dean where did...?" Percy started to ask.

"Me and Brutal got three little ones of our own." Dean reminded him. "And our closet at home is full of their old baby things. Reckon they should get some use."

Percy gnawed at his lip. He'd been so awful to Dean and to Brutal. Why on earth would they treat him with such kindness?

"Don't you have a baby now?" He asked Dean. "Couldn't she still use some of this?"

Dean shook his head. "We got plenty." He assured Percy. "This is all for your little fella."

Dean was shocked when Percy hugged him.

"Thank you." He whimpered, trying to hide his tears.

"Don't mention it." Dean smiled, patting his back. "Now anything else you need, just give me a holler."

Percy dried his eyes and nodded.

Maybe these guys weren't so bad after all.

Maybe they could even be friends?


	5. Chapter 5

Summer had been quite dry in Louisiana, so it was a blessing for most when the storms rolled in one hot July morning.

Rain poured from the sky, so thick that everyone was advised to stay off the roads until it started to clear up.

Rivers and creeks were overflowing by noon and a flash flood warning had been issued for the East Baton Rogue Parish as well as several surrounding counties.

"Looks like we might be stuck here awhile." Paul sighed, while he and Brutal finished up their polish job on Ol' Sparky.

"Well at least we're finally gettin' some rain." Brutal sighed.

Dean came back from Paul's office, rubbing his face with one hand.

"Get the kids taken care of?" Brutal asked him.

"Yeah. My Mama's gonna stay the night with 'em. Hopefully we'll be out of here by mornin'." He replied, taking a bite out of an apple he'd grabbed from the ice box.

Lightning flashed in the window and the thunder rolled in quickly after.

Percy wandered in, a hand pressed to his aching back and a pained look on his face.

"Paul? You got the keys to the medicine cabinet down in the infirmary?" He asked, wincing at the ache in the small of his back.

"I do. What do you need?" Paul asked. The other guards had taken to playing nurse to Percy for the past month. After all he was nine months pregnant and for some reason still insisted on working. Someone had to watch over him.

"Morphine." Percy answered. "My back is killin' me."

"I'll get it." Brutal volunteered, standing from where he'd been kneeling next to the chair. He hurried to Paul's office to grab the keys to the infirmary.

"You should sit down and rest awhile." Paul advised Percy.

The younger guard nodded and turned to go back into Paul's office. He didn't get far though before he was stopped in his tracks by a sharp sudden pain spreading across his abdomen.

"Ow..." He whimpered, stumbling while holding his belly tightly with the hand that wasn't pressed to his back.

"Percy?" Paul asked, immediately coming to his aid along with Dean. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know..." Percy whined, eyes starting to fill with tears. He wasn't due for another two weeks. It couldn't be happening yet. It couldn't...

"Paul, look out." Dean said to his friend, gently moving him aside so he could take control of the situation. "Tell me what you're feeling, Percy. What's going on?"

"I don't know..." Percy whimpered again, grabbing hold of Dean's hand and squeezing tightly. "It just hurts..."

Dean looked to Paul, who was wearing a horrified look on his face.

"Go with Brutal to the infirmary." He told him. "See if any of the nurses would be willing to come help us out."

Paul gave a quick nod, hurrying to catch up with Brutal while Dean helped Percy over to Paul's office to sit down.

"Dean?" Percy asked. "I don't think I can..."

Dean shook his head. "Don't say that. You can. Just think. As soon as this is all over, you're gonna have that beautiful little baby in your arms."

The door to the prison yard opened up and Harry came in, soaked to the bone. "Boy it's really comin' down out there." He said with a shiver.

"Harry!" Dean called to his friend.

Harry turned towards the sound of Dean's voice and hurried into Paul's office to see what was wrong.

"What is it? Whatcha yellin' for?" He asked before he caught sight of Percy.

"Go down to laundry and get some clean towels and blankets would ya?" Dean requested. Harry gave a nod and rushed back out of the office.

Percy shut his eyes tightly against the pain and squeezed Dean's hand. "I want my Mama..." he whimpered.

"Hey, its gonna be alright." Dean assured him.

Harry came back a few minutes later with the towels and blankets Dean asked for, and Paul and Brutal managed to bring back one of the nurses from the infirmary.

"You three boys need to get on out of here now." The older woman told Brutal, Harry and Paul as she shooed them out the door of Paul's office. "Come on. Go drag one of them beds out of the cell so he can use it after this is over."

The three eldest guards obeyed and hurried off down the mile, opening the cell next to Wild Bill.

"Hey there, fellers." Billy greeted them, coming to the bars. "Whatchu clunks doin?"

Paul looked to Brutal, eyes asking what he wouldn't say out loud.

Brutal nodded and exited to cell, approaching the bars of Wild Bill's.

"Hey, don't you get any funny ideas big man." Billy warned him. "I ain't done nothin' wrong just yet."

Brutal glared at the man. "You know If you were anybody else I'd be congratulatin' you." He told him.

"Whatchu talkin' bout?" Wild Bill asked.

"Well technically speaking I suppose you're about to be a father." Brutal spoke calmly. "Of course I don't consider you one at all. Ain't right how this all come to be."

"You tellin' me my lover boy's bout to have my little man?" Wild Bill's face let up. "Reckon we should have some cigars, huh boss?"

Brutal walked away from the cell, not saying another word. It was better that he quiet while he was still able to keep from strangling Bill.

"You're doing great, Percy." Dean encouraged his younger colleague back in Paul's office. "Breathe. Breathe. Nice and slow."

"Make it stop..." Percy cried.

Dean sighed and wiped his face down with a damp cloth. "It's alright. You're gonna be fine. Just hang in there." He looked over to the nurse who was trying with no success to call for an ambulance.

"Phone lines must be down." She muttered, finally giving up. "I think we're just gonna have to deliver the little one here and get them both to the hospital when the storm clears."

Percy whimpered. "No..." He whined. "I don't want my baby born in this awful place!"

"Percy, honey, you don't get a choice in the matter." The nurse told him. "He's coming now. We can't hold him off."

Percy started to sob. For now and for the next few hours, everything was completely out of his control, and it scared him to death.

Brutal, Harry, and Paul waited outside the office, either pacing around or trying to find something to occupy their minds.

Wild Bill hadn't sat down since he was given the news that Percy had gone into labor. He too was up and pacing around his cell, heart racing as he waited for the birth of his son. Despite what everyone thought, he did care, and he was excited. A new little hell raiser that he could call his own. He was actually pretty disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see the kid grow up.

"Hey don't you fellers think I oughta be in there?" He called to the guards who were waiting at the desk up front, starting up a new card game.

Brutal growled, his patience running thin. Harry looked to the ground, not saying a word.

"You hush up." Paul answered Bill. "You ain't got no right to be there and you know it."

"Now that just ain't fair, boss." Wild Bill whined at him. "He's my little boy ain't he? Don't daddies always get to see their babies bein' born?"

"Gonna kill him..." Brutal grumbled under his breath.

"Calm down." Harry sighed.

Paul stood and walked down to Wild Bill'a cell.

"Come on, boss." Billy pleaded. "Let me outta here."

"I'll do no such thing." Paul told him. "You're a danger to everyone here. Especially that child."

"Bull shit." Wild Bill frowned. "I wouldn't hurt my own kin. He's gonna carry on my legacy."

"That baby's not gonna be anything like you." Paul said. "That's a promise."

Wild Bill was starting to get upset. With Paul, with Percy, with his Mama and everybody.

"You gonna let me die without seein' my boy?" He asked Paul, hatred clear and plain in his voice.

It was a shock but finally they'd managed to touch a nerve somewhere deep inside Billy Wharton's dark abyss of a heart.

"That's not my decision." Paul told him. "It's Percy's."

"Well...put in a good word for me." Wild Bill told him. "I just wanna see him one time. That's all."

Paul gave a nod before turning and heading back to the front desk.

Billy Wharton ran a hand over his face, frustrated as hell with everyone and everything.

He never had cared that he'd reached the end so soon. As far as he was concerned it was just another adventure to jump head first into. But now he had something worth sticking around for, and it was really getting to him.

He had to get out of this place somehow. Except there was no way possible to make that happen. He was stuck, and that pissed him off to no end.

...

"Come on, Percy." Dean encouraged the boy, holding tightly to both his hands as Percy rested against his chest. "One more big push and you're done."

Percy panted and cried before tensing up against Dean, squeezing his hands tightly as he put all of his strength into one last push. He cried out in pain as his child entered the world, but finally it was all over.

"It's a boy!" The nurse announced as she placed the tiny newborn against Percy's belly. She quickly went to work drying him off, finally managing to get him to cry.

"Open your eyes, Percy." Dean urged him. "You've got a beautiful baby boy here."

Percy panted to catch his breath as he slowly opened his eyes up to see his baby.

He was so perfect. He was all messy, covered in blood and who knows what else but he was the most beautiful thing Percy had ever seen.

"Hey..." He choked as he reached down to hold the baby against him. "Jesse."

"That the name you picked?" Dean asked with a smile. "It's cute. I like it."

"Suits him." The nurse agreed, clamping the baby's cord and cutting it so Percy could bring him up to his chest. "Handsome name for a handsome little fella."

Percy looked at his little son. The resemblance to him was obvious. He was relieved for that. The only trait little Jesse seemed to share with his father was the reddish brown color of his hair.

Good. He was thankful for that.

"He's gonna have your eyes, Percy." Dean told him.

Percy looked back down at the baby, who had begun to open up his eyes to look at his mother. They were blue. Just like his.

"I love you..." Percy whispered to his son, kissing his little head.


	6. Chapter 6

"Are we been in the right place?" Paul asked as the four of them climbed from Harry's old truck.

"I wouldn't know." Dean shrugged. "I never had any of our little ones at a hospital. They were all born at home."

"Let's just go inside and ask." Harry told them, shutting the door to the driver's seat.

The three younger men nodded and followed him to the closest entrance of the hospital.

"Excuse me, mam?" They had agreed to let Dean do the talking. So when they got to the front desk he was the one to ask questions.

"Yes?" The young woman looked up from her paperwork.

"Could you point us towards the maternity ward?" Dean asked her.

The girl nodded and stood so she could better communicate to them which way to go. "Go down that hall to the lifts." She told Dean. "Then head up to the third floor and take a left. The nurse's desk will be just past the restrooms."

"Thank you." Dean nodded to her with a friendly smile.

He and the others took the elevator to the third floor and checked in with the nurse at the front desk. It was a pain trying to get her to give up Percy's room number since they weren't family. Apparently his Aunt had requested there be no visitors unless they checked with her first. Finally, though, they were allowed in to see him.

"Twenty three...twenty four...twenty five! This is it, Paul." Brutal alerted his friend, stopping outside the door.

Paul nodded and stepped aside to let Dean in first just to check and be sure Percy was wanting to see anyone at all at the moment.

He came back seconds later, a smile on his face. "Come on in." He told the others, motioning for them to follow.

"Nice of you to come by." Percy smiled at them from his bed, where he lay holding the sleeping baby in his arms. He looked like he'd regained a lot of strength since the night before.

"No trouble at all." Paul stated, eyes going then to the sleeping newborn wrapped up in a little blue blanket. "He been pretty good so far or..."

Percy looked at his little son, fixing the little hat that the nurses had fit over his head. "He's pretty quiet." He answered. "He cries when he's hungry and stuff like that but mostly he's been easy."

"Well that's good at least." Dean smiled. "Always nice to have a quiet one."

"How're you feelin' Percy?" Harry asked then.

"Oh...Better today." Percy replied. "Still sore and tired but better."

The sound of heels clicking against the floor came from the hallway and into the room as the governor's daughter came back to sit with her cousin.

"Hi there." She greeted the boys as she made her way back to the chair next to Percy's bed. "It was so nice of you all to come check up on him. Sorry the nurse was so difficult with you. Mama can sometimes be stubborn and well...you know they didn't want to upset her."

"Oh its no trouble, mam." Paul assured Sophie.

"Well all the same. I'm sorry about it..." She sighed as she looked to her cousin with pleading eyes.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Don't give me that." Sophie frowned. "You promised I could hold him after lunch. It's after lunch so come on. Hand him over."

Percy rolled his eyes in a mock annoyance as he carefully handed the baby over to Sophie.

Immediately the little one began to cry.

"Oh come on now, mister." Sophie cooed to him. "You're fine. Cousin Sophie's gotcha."

"Looks like somebody's a mama's boy." Brutal chuckled.

"You have no idea." Percy sighed. "Come on, Sophie, give him back."

"Alright. Fine." Sophie whined as she passed the baby back to his mother carefully.

"Sometimes they'll be like that awhile." Dean spoke up. "But it'll get better and they'll start bein' okay with other people holdin' 'em. Just takes time is all."

"What did you say his name was now?" Paul asked curiously.

"Jesse." Percy smiled, rubbing the baby's back once he was resting comfortably against his chest once more. "Jesse Lyle...We haven't really decided on a last name yet."

Brutal rose an eyebrow.

"Elmira wants him to take theirs." Percy explained when he caught the look that was thrown his way.

"You thinking about lettin' him?" Harry asked. Paul touched his arm, letting him know that it was not an okay thing to ask. The older guard hadn't been able to help it though. He was just so shocked that Percy would even consider such a thing.

"It's okay..." Percy assured Paul. "Elmira's been a lot of help. I don't wanna upset her but..." he shrugged. "But I hate my last name anyway so I don't really know what to do about it."

The others were silent for awhile. What were they supposed to say?

"Miss Long?" A nurse called to Sophie from the door, finally breaking the horrible silence that had fallen over them.

"Yes?" Sophie answered, motioning for the woman to come to her.

"There's visitors up front." The nurse told her as she crossed the room.

"How many?" Sophie asked.

"Five." The nurse told her.

"Did they say who they were?" Sophie asked then.

"A Mrs. Wharton and her sons." The nurse replied.

Sophie sighed and looked to Percy.

"Let 'em in." He told his cousin, who then gave a nod to the nurse.

"I wasn't aware Mrs. Wharton had other sons." Paul spoke after the nurse had left.

"She has four." Sophie confirmed, the tone in her voice showing how much she cared for that family.

"Stop." Percy frowned at her.

Elmira came into the room, followed by her four older boys and immediately the tension within the little room hit the ceiling.

"Oh..." She almost whispered. "I didn't know you had other visitors." She looked to Paul and the others. "We can come back if..."

"No, no." Paul stopped her. "You stay. We were just about to head out."

Dean looked to the floor after he caught a glimpse of Mrs. Wharton's boys. They were all four the spitting damn image of Wild Bill. How Percy could even manage to look at them was beyond him.

"You're leaving already?" Percy asked. "You sure? I thought you'd wanna hold him..."

"That's alright. We don't wanna crowd up your room." Brutal replied, nudging Dean to the door.

"Now, wait a minute. Everybody just hold up." The eldest of Mrs. Wharton's sons spoke up.

"Kenneth..." Elmira scolded him.

"Mama just wait." The man whispered to her before looking back to the guards. "Ain't no reason we all can't get along here, fellas. We're all decent folks. I know you've seen the part of our kin that ain't so nice but it don't mean we're the same way."

Paul nodded slowly. "Sorry, son." He apologized. "You're right. We've got no quarrel with the rest of you. We shouldn't act like we do."

The oldest Wharton boy stuck his hand out to Paul and the others. "My name's Kenneth." He introduced himself. "This here is Jake, Sam, and Lane. My little brothers."

Sophie looked to Percy as the men talked amongst themselves. Her eyes asked why? Why would he ever want anything to do with these people?

Percy ignored her. He wasn't doing this because he wanted to be social with the Wharton's. If it was just him he'd tell them

all to get lost and never speak to or of him again. But he had Jesse now, and he wanted Jesse to know his family. Even if the circumstances weren't desirable.

...

"He sure is a cutie." Kenny Wharton smiled at the baby his mother was holding.

"Sure he's Billy's?" Lane, the youngest of the four, scoffed.

Jake nudged him in the ribs. "Shut up." He growled to his little brother.

"Sorry..." Lane muttered, realizing his mistake.

"It's okay." Percy assured him, keeping a watchful eye on Jesse, who Elmira was currently holding. He still didn't have complete trust in the Wharton family. He really wasn't sure if he ever would, but he had to hide his own feelings for Jesse's sake.

"Mama?" Sam Wharton spoke up. "Don't he wanna see him before..."

"Samuel Robert, we'll talk about it later." Elmira scolded her son as she gently rocked her little grandchild.

Percy looked to Sam then to Elmira. Sophie grew uneasy at the man's comment.

"What is it?" Percy asked Elmira.

Mrs. Wharton looked up from the baby and turned to her sons. "Why don't you boys go get ya somethin' to eat right quick?" She suggested.

Kenneth took the hint and urged his brothers up and out the door with him.

Elmira made sure they were gone before she looked back to Percy and Sophie.

"I didn't wanna say anything about it till you were out of the hospital." She sighed. "I wanted ya all healed up and well first."

"I'm fine." Percy assured her, voice a tad forceful.

Elmira gnawed her lip. "Billy wants to see Jesse." She finally told him. "Before..." She couldn't finish her sentence. She couldn't even allow herself to finish the thought.

Percy swallowed hard. "No." He told her, voice stern.

"I won't let him near him." Elmira assured Percy, trying her best to change his mind for the sake of her own child. She couldn't stand what the boy had become but he was in fact still her son. "He'll be behind bars and we'll be standing out of reach. He just wants to see him one time."

Percy looked down to Jesse, his eyes wide and frightened just knowing that that monster was thinking of his precious son.

"Please, Percy." Elmira begged. "Don't do it for Billy. Do it for me. I won't rest knowing he never got to see his little one."

Sophie looked ready to kill. "Excuse me." She all but growled, leaving the room, presumably to call her mother and Percy's parents.

Percy looked up into Elmira Wharton's pleading eyes.

What else could he do?


End file.
